This is a shame, in a time where women’s rugby is sweeping the nation and the world…here is another story where we are being pushed around and trodden upon.
Every women’s team has experienced something like this, just last year the Valkyries were asked to move their practice to Monday/Wednesday as the men were expecting large numbers at practice. Sounds fair right? Of course we moved, but then realized that the men were not having large numbers (30-40 guys, they expected 90-100) and asked if we could move back to our regular days…they said no? Interesting…
from 3news.co.nz:
The Canterbury Rugby Union is sticking to its guns after being dubbed “chauvinistic dictators” for barring a top women’s rugby team from playing at a premier ground.
While top men’s sides continue to play at Rugby Park”, the Canterbury women’s team has been relegated to grass-roots venues.
Rain, hail or shine, the Canterbury women’s rugby team keeps on training to retain their spot at the top of the women’s NPC.
This weekend they battle old foes Otago, but instead of hosting them at Rugby Park with its grandstand and strong rugby history, they have been relegated to the more modest fields of QEII’s Ascot Green.
“Basically, our home venue of Rugby Park was removed from us, and we were just not very happy with the way it was dealt with,” says centre Stacey Lene.
The team was told late last week it could not play at the park, because the grounds needed to be rested, only to find out the Canterbury Colts played a friendly match there that same day.
Then they found out all their games had been moved from Rugby Park, while the Canterbury men’s A and B squads and Colts would continue to play there.
“We thought we were possibly higher up the ranking, and we weren’t,” says captain Melissa Ruscoe.
In a letter to The Press, Lene challenged the CRU “to explain its arrogant, insulting behaviour to a team of talented women who sacrifice their time and energy, only to be oppressed by an ignorant, patriarchal minority”.
But the union denies it is favouring the blokes.
“It’s not about being more important,” says Hamish Riach of the CRU, “and as I say it’s not actually a story about the women, it’s about trying to manage Rugby Park.”
Riach says other teams have also been bumped from the park.
Despite the distraction, the team is determined not to lose focus.
“We’ll play on Saturday and keep going,” says Ruscoe, “and wear that red and black jersey with pride.”
And they have not given up hope of a home semi-final at their old stomping ground.
